He declares, in his liner sentiments, that this "is not a slack-key recording ... it was never intended to be." In a departure from his Hawaiian sphere, Beamer explores the works of classical composers and interprets some well-known, along with some not-so-known, compositions that enable him to to impose his personal palette of guitar colors and tonality to repertoire generally foreign to his art form.

The results are amazingly sweet, and coupled with the wintry cover image (the guitar set against a snowy landscape), even Christmasy.

Segments from "The Little Drummer Boy" fused with the George Winston ditty "Winter Aloha," sound like Santa must be near. But tunes such as the Brazilian "Tutu Marimba" suggest quiet and solitude, much like the stillness of fresh-fallen snow. Beamer's favorite snow odyssey, "Poli'ahu (The Mauna Kea Snow Goddess)," features Winston on muted and plucked piano, creating a landscape of exquisite beauty and stillness.

Rimsky-Korsakov's familiar "Song of India," Mendelsohn's "Venetian Boat Song" and Stravinsky's "Lullaby of the Cat" further provide artistic challenges.

Beamer redefines his musical language on selections from Satie's "Gymnopédie." His style at once demonstrates his respect for the material and his reimagined "new" hybrid, fusing Hawaiian tradition with the classics.

The arrangements, for acoustic and electric guitar (all played by Beamer), are by Daniel O'Donoghue with occasional Beamer collaboration; for guitarists, tuning chords and string details accompany each of the 20 tracks.

"Tenacity" by the Honolulu Jazz Quartet; HJQ Records

Led by bassist John Kolivas' assured riffs and featuring the incomparable tenor and soprano saxophone sounds of Tim Tsukiyama, the indelible piano artistry of Dan Del Negro and the precision drumming of Adam Baron, the band is garnering praise from high places.

There are liner notes, and praise, from none other than jazz critic and historian Nat Hentoff, who honestly admits, "I only write liner notes for recordings that make me want to hear them again and again."

"Tenacity" — with its bright, classy packaging, equated by stellar workouts that demonstrate the capacity of each member of the foursome — looms as a marketable mainstream CD.

Kolivas, who performs with Keola Beamer whenever the singer-guitarist is in concert here and abroad, revives one of Beamer's signature tunes, "Real Old Style," and coats it with a splendid jazz waltz veneer, bringing new dimension, without words, to this longtime favorite.

The CD boasts a cache of luminous, lingering vibes, from Kolivas' "Midlife" and "Wayne's Bounce," to Del Negro's "Chillin' at the Club" and Tsukiyama's "Are We There Yet." The musicians' influences — whether Coltrane, Miles, Blanchard or others — have settled into a relaxing and reassuring entity called the Honolulu Jazz Quartet.

Note: The HJQ will perform a special launch concert at Punahou School's Luke Lecture Hall at 8 p.m. on Feb. 20. For reservations, call 923-3909 or go to www.honolulujazzquartet.com.

"King's Sons of Hawai'i" by Tony Ku; Ululani Media

On "King's Sons of Hawai'i," Ku brings his masterful touch to 18 compositions by the renowned Charles E. King, whose songbook has been a staple of pioneering Island artists for decades.

Ku's intent is to retain an "accurate tonal reproduction of the early Hawaiian guitar music," with piano accompaniment. While this ambitious project is more academic and archival than entertaining, its contribution should be a lasting one. The chestnuts include "Lei Aloha Lei Makamae," "Ke Kali Nei Au," "Kamehameha Waltz," "Pua Carnation," "Pa'au'au Waltz," "Na Lei O Hawai'i," " 'Eleu, Mikimiki" — all rendered with quiet precision, in almost recital-like manner, with "unplugged" simplicity heightened by Ku's masterful lap-playing touch.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.